Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Finale – “The New Next Generation”
Star Trek: Lower Decks has just promoted his first officer to captain, something Star Trek: The Next Generation I never did that to Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes). As Star Trek: Lower Decks fifth and final season comes to an end on Paramount+, the USS Cerritos has the chance to save the entire universe. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and her crew rise admirably to the occasion, stabilizing a wormhole to alternate Star Trek timelines. The wormhole becomes a permanently open portal to the multiverse with Starbase 80 parked at the rift's entrance.
With Starbase 80 now serving as a base of operations for the exploration of other quantum realities, Starfleet puts Captain Freeman in charge of overseeing these missions. She and her husband, Admiral Alonzo Freeman (Phil LaMarr), move to the station, and Starfleet promotes Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell), giving Freeman the number one command of the Cerritos. Commander Riker, however, never became captain of the Enterprise and was only promoted several years after the end of the Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek: Lower Decks' Commander Ransom Becomes Captain the Way Riker Never Did in TNG
Will Riker served as the Enterprise's first officer for 15 years
All over Star Trek: Lower Decks Five seasons in, Commander Jack Ransom has become a Starfleet officer worthy of being captain. Although Ransom seemed more like a caricature and parody of Commander Riker in previous seasons of Lower Decks, the show took time to flesh out his character, especially in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5. Ransom has proven himself to be a strong leader able to encourage his officers to work together. Sometimes he can achieve this in unique ways, but he adapts to the officers under his command and uses strategies he knows will work for them.
It is not known exactly when Ransom became the Cerritos' first official, but it only took him five seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks to get to the captain. Riker, on the other hand, spent seven seasons of TNG and four films as first officer – a combined total of 15 years – and Will still never became captain of the Enterprise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) maintained his command as long as possible, while Captain Freeman chose to move on. As a California-Class ship, the Cerritos may not be tasked with the galaxy-saving missions normally reserved for ships like the Enterprise, but its crew is just as familiar.
Why Riker Waited 15 Years But Never Became Captain of the Enterprise
Captain Picard didn't want to give up command of the Enterprise
With his adventurous and seductive personality, Commander Ransom has a lot in common with Commander Riker, but he was promoted much faster than the First Officer of the USS Enterprise-D. Riker was obviously a skilled number one and had numerous opportunities to command ships other than the Enterprise. Riker refused every offer he received in Star Trek: The Next Generation, choosing to remain on the Enterprise under the command of Captain Picard. As Starfleet's flagship, the Enterprise was particularly special, and Riker didn't want to command any other ships.
Riker finally accepted a promotion in Star Trek: Nemesis, taking command of the USS Titan.
Commander Riker sat in the captain's chair a few times Star Trek: The Next Generation, but Will never officially assumed the role of permanent captain of the Enterprise-D. Even at the end of the series, the first TNG the film was already being written, meaning Picard had to remain captain. Riker finally accepted a promotion in Star Trek: Nemesis, taking command of the USS Titan, while Picard remained in command of the Enterprise. Different TNG, Star Trek: Lower Decks ended with a new captain in charge of the Cerritos.